Vein stripper and a method of stripping veins



Dec. 9, 1958 MODNY ET AL 2,863,458

VEIN STRIPPER AND A METHOD OF STRIFPING VEINS Filed Sept. 4, 1957INVENTOR. Mlhls T. M04111 {m4 47am P. 0.1 bava ATTORNEY United StatesPatent G i VEIN STRIPPER AND A METHOD OF STRIPPING VEINS Michael T.Modny, Glen Ridge, and John T. Bambara, Bloomfield, N. J.

Application September 4, 1957, Serial No. 681,947

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-303) Our invention relates generally to devices andmethods for stripping varicose veins, and specifically to devices andmethods for stripping varicose veins in which a magnetically attractableplumb is caused to traverse a varicose vein by magnetic attractionexerted upon it from outside the human body. Varicose veins are ills ofthe body which may require treatment or removal. They may be painful andmay become diseased. The method most commonly used is the insertion of awire into an incision in the vein and advancing that member forciblythrough the vein until it can be no further advanced. An incision isthen made so that the wire may be redirected and advanced furtherthrough the vein until it once more reaches an abutment in the veinwhere another incision must be made in order to redirect the wirethrough the next course of the vein. Thus, in directing a vein stripperthrough a vein, a great many incisions may have to be made before thewire, which must traverse the entire vein, is finally at its goal.

Our invention requires only an incision at the point of entry and anincision at the point of exit. The vein stripper is pulled through thevaricose vein by a nylon cord. The cord traverses the vein, followingall the convolutions of the vein without any necessity for furtherincisions until it reaches the exit. This traversing of the vein isaccomplished by the use of a magnetically attractable plumb at the endof the nylon line. The exertion of magnetic influence upon the plumbwill draw it through the vein in its various courses and changes ofdirections until it reaches the incision where the stripped vein is tobe withdrawn. Only the entry and exit incisions are required and theplumb and the line to which the vein stripper is attached are easilyinduced to traverse the entire vein without the necessity for additionalincisions.

It is therefore an object of our invention to provide a vein stripperwhich may be inserted, either at the lower portion of a limb or theupper portion of a limb and cause it to easily traverse the entire vein.

Yet a further object of our invention is to limit the number ofincisions, in a vein stripping operation, to two.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a vein stripperthat will be directed through its courses by externally exerted magneticinfluence.

Yet a further object of our invention is to provide a device whichenables the method of vein stripping through magnetically impelling thestripping cord through the vein by the use of a magnetic plumb.

These objects and advantages, as well as other objects and advantages,may be achieved by the device illustrated in the drawings in whichFigure 1 is a view of our vein stripper.

Figure 2 is a view of an incision showing the introduction of our veinstripper.

Figure 3 is a view of a limb having a varicose vein ice through whichthe plumb is. being drawn, .and .at the lower end of Figure 3 the plumbis being magnetically withdrawn from a second incision.

Referring now .to the drawings in detail, Figure 3 shows a limbexhibiting a varicose vein which follows -a somewhat tortuous course,immediately below the surface of the skin. This vein 11 is to be removedby a stripping operation. An incision 12 is made at the point definingone of the limits for removal of the vein. A second incision 13 is madeat another point defining the opposite end of the limit for removal ofthe vein. A ligature 14 is applied to the vein and it is severed fromthe remaining portion 15 which is not to be removed. A longitudinal cut29 is made .in the vein and a loose ligature 3%] is then applied belowthis cut 29.

A stripper 16 is provided. This stripper has a domed portion 17 and astem 18. There is an axial passage 19 through the stripper 16. A nyloncord 20 is passed through this passage 19 and a knot 21 is applied tothe cord 26 so that it cannot pull through the stripper 16. At theopposite end of the cord 20, a plumb 22 is provided. This plumb has anaxial passage 23 through which the other end of the nylon cord 20 ispassed and a knot 24 formed. The plumb 22 must be formed of magneticallyattractive material. The plumb is inserted in the longitudinal incision29 in the varicose vein. A magnet 25 is then applied to the exteriorsurface of the limb 26 and is caused to trace the course which thevaricose vein 11 follows. This effects the movement of the plumb 22through the varicose vein, in spite of abrupt turnings or reversals,without any necessity for additional incisions to redirect the plumb.The plumb will traverse the entire course of the vein, eventuallyemerging from a longitudinal slot 27. The plumb 22 may then be graspedand the stripper 16 drawn up tightly to the entering incision 29 in thevein. The ligature 30 is then tightened in order to prevent anypossibility of the stripper 16 entering the vein, and further, to insurethe end of the vein will remain on the stem 18 of the stripper. Thetransverse radial grooves 28, in the stem 13, will serve as seats forthe ligature 30. Force is then applied to the lower end of the nyloncord and the stripper is drawn into the incision 12 and through the limb26, carrying with it the varicose vein on the cord 20, until the veinemerges from the lower incision 13, carried on the cord and drawn outtherefrom by the stripper 16. By proceeding with our vein stripper inthis manner healing is much more rapid, incisions are reduced to two innumber and the pain of the patient is drastically reduced. With theremoval of the varicose vein, the ends of the vein are tied off toprevent further hemorrhaging and the incisions are closed by sutures.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodimentof the invention. The component parts have been shown and described.They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similarfunction; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for thesaid components and may have actually been known or invented before thepresent invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being withinthe scope of the appended claims, although they are not specificallycatalogued herein.

We claim:

1. A vein stripper comprising a stripper, a magnetically attractableplumb, a cord connected to the vein stripper and the plumb.

2. A Vein stripper comprising a generally tubular stem, an enlargementat one end of the stern, a magnetically attractable plumb, a cordconnected to the stem and to the plumb.

3. A vein stripper comprising a generally mushroomshaped member having apassage therethrough, a magnetically attractable plumb, a cord connectedto the member and to the plumb.

4. A vein stripper comprising a stem having an axial passagetherethrough, dimensioned to enter a vein to be stripped, an enlargementon the end of the stem having a cross-sectional area generally greaterthan the crosssectional area of the vein to be stripped, a magnetically4 attractable plumb dimensioned to enter and traverse the vein to bestripped, a cord at one end connected to the stern through the axialpassage and at the other end to the plumb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

